Filter press with a stack of vertically aligned, horizontally displaceable filter plates

ABSTRACT

In a filter press, a stack of vertically oriented, horizontally displaceable filter plates enclose filter chambers therebetween. The filter plates are successively moved relative to each other from a closed pressing position, through a pressure relief position, to an open discharge position. At least one connecting element is connected to each filter plate, and is movably coupled to the respective adjacent filter plate by a coupling pin, which slides in a specially configured groove of the connecting element. In the relief position, a respective coupling pin is stopped against an intermediate blocking surface of the groove of the connecting element of the next adjacent filter plate, thereby preventing further horizontal displacement. By unlatching the connecting element, the coupling pin can then slide to a stop surface of the groove, to allow the adjacent filter plates to be displaced farther into the open discharge position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a filter press with a stack of verticallyoriented or aligned, horizontally displaceable filter plates. Adjacentone of the filter plates are mutually coupled via at least oneconnecting element each. A respective filter chamber is defined betweenadjacent ones of the filter plates. The filter plates lie against oneanother with sealing edges in a pressing position of the stack of filterplates, and are displaceable successively to a discharge position by thehorizontal displacement of at least one filter plate, in which dischargeposition the horizontal distance of adjacent filter plates is limited bythe action of a coupling element of a filter plate on a stop surface ofthe connecting element of an adjacent filter plate.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND RELATED ART

Such a filter plate is known from DE 44 28 963 C1 for example. Theconnecting elements are arranged as levers which are swivelably held onlaterally projecting projections of the filter plates. The levers areprovided with two arms each, namely an arm with a holding hook whichwith respect to the opening direction is at the rear and is latchedbehind the projection of the next filter plate at the rear in thepressing or filtering position. Moreover, the levers comprise a frontarm which is provided with a control surface which during the movementaway of the next filter plate at the front, once the same has moved awayover a predetermined path, produces a swiveling movement of the lever bycooperating with its projection and during which its holding hookdetaches from the projection of the next filter plate at the rear. Inthis process the control surface encloses a recess in the hook-likefront arm of the lever in which the projection of the next filter plateat the front is continually received and is provided at its base withthe stop surface for fixing, i.e. limiting the plate distance in thedischarge position.

The levers thus fulfill a double function by mutually locking theadjacent filter plates based on the pressing position on the one handand thus preventing that swelling filter cake will lead to the expulsionof such filter plates which should not yet be emptied, and by acting asconnecting elements on the other hand which in the discharge position ofthe filter plates define their maximum distance with respect to oneanother.

A typical aspect for the known filter press is the sequential emptyingof only one filter chamber successively, with the as yet unemptiedfilter chambers remaining mutually locked until immediately before thedischarging process. The known filter press is not suitable fordischarging principles in which a section of the stack consisting of aplurality of filter plates is to be unlocked simultaneously, since theunlatching of the filter plates can always only occur successively.

From DE 43 25 055 A1 a filter press is known whose filter plates aremutually chained together by brackets and connecting links. Whereas thebrackets are swivelably held on a filter plate, the connecting bracketsconnect one each of the brackets with an adjacent filter plate in aflexible way. A hook is each arranged on the brackets which latches intoprojections on the filter plates when the filter plates are pushedtogether into a stack. The joints between the brackets and theconnecting links are disposed in such a way that when two adjacentfilter plates are pulled apart the hook which is latched into theprojection of the next following filter plate will detach from thisprojection to the amount to which the bracket which belongs to said hookwith the connecting link pulling the same assumes a stretched position.It is to be prevented in this way that intermediate spaces will openprematurely between the filter plates during the opening of the filterpress in which emerging filter cakes could get stuck.

If the plate stacks were opened in sections in this known filter plateit is also not ensured in this case that the discharge distance betweenadjacent plates in all sections would be of the same size because arelief of the sealing edges decreases continually with rising distanceof the filter plate from the movable head plate prior to the pullingapart of the stack of plates after the relief, i.e. removal of thelocking pressure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the object of further developing a filterpress in such a way that during a sequential discharge of completesections of the stack of plates, always the same discharge distance ofadjacent filter plates can be achieved during the discharge of allsections. The connecting elements should simultaneously comprise alatching function for the filter plates of the sections not yetdesignated for discharge and a connecting function for maintaining thedischarge distance.

Based on a filter press of the kind described above, this object isachieved in accordance with the invention in such a way that the filterplates, based on the pressing position, can be displaced to a reliefposition by displacing a filter plate in which the sealing edges of thefilter plates are detached from the associated sealing surfaces and inwhich the coupling elements rest on a blocking surface of the connectingelements which prevents the further horizontal spacing of adjacentfilter plates, with the contact of the coupling elements on the blockingsurfaces being removable by unlatching the associated connectingelements, so that a further displacement of adjacent filter plates tothe discharge position is possible.

After ending the actual filtration process, the opening and dischargingprocess occurs as follows in the press in accordance with the invention:

At first, a relief of all filter plates is achieved by the displacementof the first filter plate (as seen from the pressing plate) andsubsequently all further filter plates in such a way that the connectingelements allow an only very small distance of adjacent filter plates, sothat a transmission of the tensile force from one filter plate to thenext occurs once its distance is merely a few millimeters. This smalldistance of adjacent filter plates from one another is necessary,however, in order to achieve a relief of the sealing edges of the filterplates which are under a pretension in the pressing position. In therelieved state the sealing edges typically project a few millimetersabove the surface of the filter plates in order to achieve the requiredsealing of the filter chambers in the pressing position of the packetdue to the elastic deformation. The transfer of all filter plates fromthe pressing position to the relief position occurs appropriately forthe entire stack of plates in one job step, namely preferably by usingthe closing cylinder in that the same is moved back by the sum total ofthe individual relief distances.

The advantage of the solution in accordance with the invention is thatwith the help of the connecting elements in accordance with theapplication it is possible to produce an active relief of the sealingedges of the entire stack of plates before the plates of the firstsection are brought to the discharge distance. This active reliefensures that the filter plates will all have the same distance withrespect to each other as defined by the connecting brackets and that inthis position the sealing edges of the filter plates are completelyrelieved. Only in this way is it possible to prevent that during a“migration” of the discharge section from the first to the last sectionof the stack of plates an even discharge distance is maintained.

In apparatuses according to the state of the art the discharge distanceof the sections emptied at a later time is decreased more and more insuch a way that the sealing edges of the associated plates have becomerelieved less and less by their own power in the case of missingpreceding active relief. This relief occurs in apparatuses according tothe state of the art at the time at which plates are actually pulledapart to the discharge distance, as a result of which, especially when aplurality of filter plates is concerned, a far from inconsiderablemeasure of length is obtained by addition which reduces the availabledischarge distance. One must consider that the sections to be emptied,with the exception of the first section, are disposed right in themiddle of the stack of filter plates and thus a displacement of theentire stack of plates by providing the required discharge distance isusually impossible.

The cake discharge and the removal of the filter plates delimiting thefilter cake to the discharge distance as required for this purpose onlyoccurs in a second step, namely by unlatching in a preceding step theconnecting elements of the filter plates of the section which is to bedischarged as the next one.

After their unlatching, the connecting elements act like elements withan increased length, so that in the case of a renewed tensile load onthe filter plates with unlatched connecting elements the same aredisplaced to discharge distance with respect to each other, with theconnecting elements defining said discharge distance and thus alsoensuring a permanent interlinking of the filter plates in the dischargeposition.

Preferably, the filter plates of a first discharged section are pressedtogether again after the unlatching of the connecting elements of thesecond section which is to be discharged next so as to keep down thelongitudinal extension of the filter press. Within such a dischargeprinciple, a section with filter plates in the discharge distance“passes through” the entire stack of plates from one end to the other,so that its overall length, after the one-time opening of the firstsection, remains unchanged and the zone of a lower “density” of thefilter plates migrates through the stack.

In comparison with known presses in which the stack of plates is nottransferred to a relief position with defined plate distances prior tothe opening of the first section, but merely the pressure of the closingcylinder is removed and thus a self-relief occurs which is produced bythe spring properties of the sealing edges, the advantage as offered bythe invention is that during the discharge of all sections there is nowa defined discharge distance. As seen from the closing cylinder, thereis in the known filter press a self-relief of the sealing edges whichdecreases continually with increasing distance, which is caused by thefact that the sealing edges of the filter plates which are farther awayfrom the closing cylinder would have to displace, during theirextension, in the horizontal direction all previously situated filterplates. The frictional forces of the plate bearings in the press frame,which add up and counteract such an independent plate displacement, willreach a value from a certain number of plates which exceeds therestoring force of the compressed sealing edges even in the pressedposition, so that at first there is no self-resetting of the filterplates which are farther away from the closing cylinder despite thepressure relief of the stack of plates.

When the stack of plates migrates through the discharge section, itswidth decreases continually with rising distance from the closingcylinder, which means also the discharge distance between the filterplates, because the self-restoration of the sealing edges which stillsubstantially occurred in the first section only occurs incompletely ornot at all in the sections that are farther away. When plates of analready emptied section are pushed together, they are not pressedtogether with such a force that the sealing edges are brought to thecompressed state again as would be typical for the pressed position inwhich the closing force is applied by the closing cylinder. As a result,the discharge distance between the filter plates of the sections fartheraway continually decreases by a certain amount, which will beparticularly disadvantageous in cases when it is necessary to intervenewith auxiliary apparatuses in the intermediate space between adjacentfilter plates in order to ensure a secure discharge of cake or toperform the cleaning of a filter cloth.

As a result of the active tensile relief of the stack of plates with thehelp of the closing cylinder for example, the setting of a defineddistance of the filter plates with respect to one another occurs in thefilter press in accordance with the invention. The introduction of atensile force into only one filter plate is sufficient due to theconnecting elements. Based on such a relief state of the stack of filterplates, the same discharge distance between the filter plates is ensuredduring the subsequent discharge of all sections.

In a preferred embodiment, the connecting elements are embodied asconnecting brackets which are each provided with a groove in which thecoupling element, which is embodied as a coupling pin, of an adjacentfilter plate.

In a further development of the invention it is provided that theconnecting elements are held in a swivelable manner and comprise agroove which is offset in its longitudinal direction and is providedwith a first section with the blocking surface and a minimal groovewidth which corresponds to the width of the coupling element withrespect to the relief distance and a second section with the stopsurface disposed on the face side.

When the connecting elements are each swivelable about the axis of acoupling pin, the same fulfills a double function, namely acting on theone hand as a coupling element in the groove of the connecting elementof the subsequent filter plate and, on the other hand, as a bearingelement for the connecting element of the filter plate just considered.

According to a further development of the filter press in accordancewith the invention, it is proposed that the connecting elements areprovided with a first arm with the groove and a second arm which isopposite of the first arm with respect to the swivel axis and whichextends above the swivel axis and can be pressed downwardly by means ofthe unlatching device, so that the coupling element can enter the secondsection of the groove.

It is further particularly advantageous when the connecting elements aredisposed in two mutually parallel planes, with adjacent connectingelements being disposed in different planes. In this way a scaledarrangement of the connecting elements is avoided as is realized in DE44 28 963 C1.

It is finally provided that the unlatching device is a carriage that ishorizontally displaceable in the press frame and that is provided with arunner which is adjustable in the vertical direction. Appropriately, thecarriage is additionally provided with a displacement device for thefilter plates in order to omit longitudinally extending actuatingelements as would otherwise possibly be required in connection with astationary displacement device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is now explained in closer detail by reference to theembodiment of a filter press as shown in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a filter press with a closed section (II)and an opened section (I);

FIG. 2 shows connecting brackets in the relieved position of the filterplates;

FIG. 3 shows a view as in FIG. 2, but in the unlatched position of theconnecting brackets and with a filter plate which is moved to dischargedistance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A filter press 1 as shown in FIG. 1 comprises a press frame 2 whichconsists of two longitudinal beams 3, a front stanchion 4, a rearstanchion 4 with a support plate 9 as well as two lower tie rods 5extending parallel to the longitudinal beams 3.

A plurality of filter plates 6 is suspended between the stanchions 4 andon the longitudinal beams 3 and is held in a horizontally displaceablemanner. A respective filter chamber is disposed or formed between eachadjacent pair of said filter plates 6, which filter chamber ishermetically sealed from the ambient environment in the compressed stateof the filter plates 6 due to circumferential sealing edges (not shownin closer detail). A pneumatically actuated closing cylinder 7 can beused to compress the filter plates 6 into a closed packet in thedirection of the support plate stanchion with the help of a pressingplate 8 which is suspended on the longitudinal beams 3 and ishorizontally displaceable.

All plates 6 are mutually coupled in the zone of supports 10 disposedabove the same with the help of connecting elements 11 in the form ofconnection brackets, so that a continuous concatenation ranging from thepressing plate 8 to the last filter plate 6 which is upstream of thesupport plate 9 is created. At least one of the connecting elements 11is respectively provided for each respective one of the plates 6.

FIG. 1 shows the connection bracket by way of example in a highlyschematic way and not true to scale.

FIG. 1 shows a right first section I of the filter plates 6 in thedischarging position to which the plates 6 are transferred by reversingthe pressing plate 8 by means of the closing cylinder 7, starting fromthe pressing position. Conversely, the filter plates 6 of the leftsection II are still situated in a so-called relief position which willbe explained in detail below.

FIG. 2 shows three filter plates 6 with three connecting elements whichare disposed in the zone of the supports 10, with the filter plates 6and the connecting elements 11 being situated in the so-called reliefposition. In said relief position the coupling elements 12 which arearranged as coupling pins rest on a blocking surface 13 of theconnecting element 11. The blocking surface 13 is formed by the interiorsurface of a groove which comprises a first wide and short section 14and a second long and narrower section 15.

As long as the stack of filter plates is situated in the pressingposition, its coupling pin 12 is disposed approximately in the center(relating to the width) of the section 14 of the groove in theconnecting element 11. On the left side it does not rest in thisposition on the associated inner surface of the groove because it needsto be ensured under all circumstances that the stack of filter plates becompressed into a block, so that the compressed sealing edges are ableto build up a sufficient sealing force.

Based on this pressing position, a displacement of the coupling pin 12in the section 14 of the groove is produced by applying a tensile forceon a filter plate 6 which is disposed farther to the right for such atime until the coupling pin 12 rests on the right side on the blockingsurface 13, so that a further removal of an adjacent filter plate 6 isno longer possible, but instead the applied tensile force is transmittedonto the next following filter plates 6. Based on the pressing plate 8,the entire stack of filter plates can be relieved in this manner so thatall coupling pins 12 rest on the blocking surfaces 13 of the associatedconnecting elements 11. The sealing edges (not shown) are completelyrelieved or retracted and no longer rest on the associated sealingsurfaces of the filter plates 6. The relief distance 16 between twoadjacent filter plates 6 is so small that the same was not illustratedfor the filter plates 6 in FIG. 2 below.

Based on the blocked position of the connecting elements 11 as shown inFIG. 2, the same are unlocked with the help of a runner 17 of acarriage-like unlatching device 22 (shown schematically) by pressure ona switching surface 18 of a left upper arm 19 of a respective one of theconnecting elements 11. The carriage 22 is horizontally displaceable inthe press frame, and the runner 17 is adjustable in the verticaldirection, as schematically represented by double-headed arrows. Theconnecting element 11 is swivelled in this process about the couplingpin 12 of the associated filter plate 6, so that the unlatching positionis assumed as shown in FIG. 3 at the connecting elements disposed insaid illustration on the left-hand side. The blocking surface 13 ispushed upwardly past the coupling pin, as a result of which the couplingpin 12 comes into the inlet zone of the section 15 of the groove in theconnecting element 11.

If a tensile force is exerted on a coupling pin 12 thus arranged by anupstream filter plate 6 or its connecting element 11, the same entersthe section 15 of the groove and produces thereby a further rotation ofthe connecting element 11 in a counter-clockwise manner. This rotationis completed when the connecting pin 12 has reached the stop surface 20at the end of section 15 of the groove. At this time the two filterplates 6 which are mutually coupled by the connecting element are spacedapart at the maximum distance, which means that they are at theirdischarging distance. One edge 21 of the connecting element 11 isdisposed in this position in an approximately horizontal fashion.

Based on this position of the filter plates 6, a displacement away fromone another of the filter plates 6 which are disposed farther to theleft is produced by a further displacement of the filter plate 6 whichis shown farthest to the right.

Based on a pressing position of the entire stack of plates, the entirestack is brought to the relief position first by active tensile reliefwith the help of the closing cylinder 7 in which all coupling pins 12rest on the associated blocking surfaces 13. Based on this reliefposition, the connecting elements 11 are unlatched section by sectionwith the help of the unlatching device, which is why a transfer of thefilter plates 6 of the unlatched first section to the discharge positionis possible by a renewed application of tensile force on the pressingplate 8. In said discharge position all coupling pins 12 of theunlatched section I rest on the stop surfaces 20 of the connectingelements 11.

After the discharge of the right section I there is also an unlatchingof the left section II and thereafter a pulling apart of the filterplates 6 of said section II by means of a sliding device (not shown).Simultaneously with the pulling apart of the filter plates 6 of thesection II, which occurs with the help of a displacement device (notshown in closer detail), the filter plates 6 of the previouslydischarged section I are pushed together again. In the case of a filterpress containing more than two sections this process is repeated untilall sections are discharged.

What is claimed is:
 1. A filter press (1) comprising: a stack ofvertically aligned, horizontally displaceable filter plates (6) havingsealing edges and sealing surfaces, a plurality of connecting brackets(11) that each respectively have a groove therein and that arerespectively connected to respective ones of the filter 8 plates, and aplurality of coupling pins (12) that protrude from the filter plates andthat each respectively engage in the groove of a respective one of theconnecting brackets that is connected to: an adjacent one of the filterplates, so that adjacent pairs of the filter plates (6) are mutuallycoupled via at least one of the connecting brackets (11) each and definea respective filter chamber therebetween, with the filter plates (6)lying against one another with the sealing edges thereof contacting thesealing surfaces of adjacent ones of the filter plates in a pressingposition of the stack of filter plates and, starting from the pressingposition, the filter plates are displaceable successively to a dischargeposition by a horizontal displacement of at least one of the filterplates (6) in which a horizontal spacing distance of adjacent ones ofthe filter plates (6) is limited by an action of the coupling pin of agiven one of the filter plates (6) contacting on a stop surface (20) ofthe groove of the connecting bracket (11) of an adjacent one of thefilter plates (6) adjacent to the given filter plate, wherein the filterplates (6), starting from the pressing position, can be displaced to arelief position in which the sealing edges of the filter plates (6) aredetached from the sealing surfaces of respective adjacent ones of thefilter plates and in which the coupling pins (12) respectively contacton blocking surfaces (13) of the grooves of the connecting brackets (11)which prevents further horizontal spacing of adjacent ones of the filterplates, with the contacting of the coupling pins (12) on the blockingsurfaces (13) being removable by unlatching the connecting brackets(11), so that a further displacement of adjacent ones of the filterplates (6) to the discharge position is possible.
 2. The filter press asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting brackets (11) are held in aswivelable manner about a swivel axis, and each one of the grooves isoffset in its longitudinal direction and includes a first section (14)having the blocking surface (13) and a minimal groove width thatcorresponds to a width of the coupling pin (12) plus a relief distance(16), and a second section (15) having the stop surface (20) disposed atan end thereof.
 3. The filter press as claimed in claim 2, wherein eachone of the connecting brackets (11) is swivelable about an axis of arespective one of the coupling pins.
 4. The filter press as claimed inclaim 2, further comprising an unlatching device, wherein the connectingbrackets (11) each include a first arm with the groove therein and asecond arm which is opposite the first arm with respect to the swivelaxis and which extends above the swivel axis and can be presseddownwardly by means of the unlatching device, so that the coupling pin(12) can enter the second section (15) of the groove.
 5. The filterpress as claimed in claim 4, wherein the unlatching device comprises acarriage which is horizontally displaceable in a press frame, and arunner (17) which is adjustably connected to the carriage so as to beadjustable in a vertical direction.
 6. The filter press as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the connecting brackets (11) are disposed in twomutually parallel planes, with adjacent ones of the connecting brackets(11) being disposed in different ones of the planes.
 7. A filter press(1) comprising: a press frame, a stack of vertically aligned,horizontally displaceable filter plates (6) having sealing edges and ssealing surfaces, an unlatching device, a plurality of connectingelements (11) that are respectively connected to respective ones of thefilter plates, and a plurality of coupling elements (12) that areconnected to the filter plates and that each respectively engage with arespective one of the connecting elements that is connected to anadjacent one of the filter plates, so that adjacent pairs of the filterplates (6) are mutually coupled via at least one of the connectingelements (11) each and define a respective filter chamber therebetween,with the filter plates (6) lying against one another with the sealingedges thereof contacting the sealing surfaces of adjacent ones of thefilter plates in a pressing position of the stack of filter plates and,starting from the pressing position, the filter plates are displaceablesuccessively to a discharge position by a horizontal displacement of atleast one of the filter plates (6) in which a horizontal spacingdistance of adjacent ones of the filter plates (6) is limited by anaction of the coupling element (12) of a given one of the filter plates(6) contacting on a stop surface (20) of the connecting element (11) ofan adjacent one of the filter plates (6) adjacent to the given filterplate, wherein the filter plates (6), starting from the pressingposition, can be displaced to a relief position in which the sealingedges of the filter plates (6) are detached from the sealing surfaces ofrespective adjacent ones of the filter plates and in which the couplingelements (12) respectively contact on blocking surfaces (13) of theconnecting elements (11) which prevents further horizontal spacing ofadjacent ones of the filter plates, with the contacting of the couplingelements (12) on the blocking surfaces (13) being removable byunlatching the connecting elements (11) with the unlatching device, sothat a further displacement of adjacent ones of the filter plates (6) tothe discharge position is possible, wherein the unlatching devicecomprises a carriage which is horizontally displaceable in the pressframe, and a runner which is connected to the carriage so as to beadjustable in a vertical direction.
 8. A filter press comprising: astack of filter plates including a first filter plate and a secondfilter plate, which are arranged parallel and adjacent to one another,and at least one of which is movable relatively toward and away from theother; a coupling pin connected to and extending from said first filterplate; and a connecting bracket that is movably connected to said secondfilter plate and that has a groove therein, into which groove saidcoupling pin is movably engaged so as to movably couple together saidfirst and second filter plates with said connecting bracket and saidcoupling pin; wherein said groove includes a first groove portion intowhich said coupling pin can move to enable said first and second filterplates to be relatively moved into contact with each other in a pressingposition, wherein said groove further includes a stop surface againstwhich said coupling pin can move to enable said first and second filterplates to be relatively moved apart from each other in an open dischargeposition whereby said coupling pin contacting against said stop surfacelimits a maximum spacing distance between said first and second filterplates in said open discharge position, wherein said groove furtherincludes an intermediate blocking surface which is located between saidfirst groove portion and said stop surface and against which saidcoupling pin can move to enable said first and second filter plates tobe relatively moved into a compression relief position between saidpressing position and said open discharge position whereby said couplingpin contacting against said intermediate blocking surface limits anintermediate spacing of said first and second filter plates relative toone another in said compression relief position, and wherein saidcontacting of said coupling pin against said intermediate blockingsurface is releasable, to enable said coupling pin to move to said stopsurface, by moving said connecting bracket relative to said secondfilter plate to which said connecting bracket is movably connected. 9.The filter press according to claim 8, wherein said groove furtherincludes a second groove portion that extends longitudinally from and islonger than said first groove portion, said stop surface is located atan end of said second groove portion opposite said first groove portion,and said intermediate blocking surface is formed at an offset betweensaid first groove portion and said second groove portion.
 10. The filterpress according to claim 8, wherein said connecting bracket is pivotallyconnected to said second filter plate at a pivot axis, to allow saidconnecting bracket to move pivotally about said pivot axis relative tosaid second filter plate.
 11. The filter press according to claim 10,wherein said coupling pin connected to and extending from said firstfilter plate is a first coupling pin, further comprising a secondcoupling pin connected to and extending from said second filter plate,wherein said connecting bracket is pivotally connected by said secondcoupling pin to said second filter plate, and wherein said secondcoupling pin extends axially along said pivot axis.
 12. The filter pressaccording to claim 10, further comprising an unlatching devicepositioned to contact and pivot said connecting bracket about said pivotaxis relative to said second filter plate, so as to release saidcontacting of said coupling pin against said intermediate blockingsurface to enable said coupling pin to move to said stop surface, toenable said filter plates to move from said compression relief positionto said open discharge position.
 13. The filter press according to claim12, wherein said unlatching device comprises a carriage that ishorizontally displaceable relative to said filter plates, and a runnerthat is vertically adjustably connected to said carriage and positionedso as to contact and pivot said connecting bracket about said pivot axisto enable said filter plates to move from said compression reliefposition to said open discharge position.
 14. The filter press accordingto claim 8, wherein said stack further includes additional filter platesarranged parallel, adjacent and movable relative to one another, furthercomprising additional coupling pins respectively connected to andextending from said second filter plate and said additional filterplates, and additional connecting brackets with additional groovesrespectively therein, wherein each one of said additional connectingbrackets is movably connected to a respective one of said additionalfilter plates, and each respective one of said additional coupling pinsrespectively connected to said respective one of said filter plates isrespectively engaged in said additional groove of said additionalconnecting bracket that is connected to a next one of said additionalfilter plates that is adjacent to said respective one of said additionalfilter plates.
 15. The filter press according to claim 14, wherein allof said connecting brackets are disposed in two parallel planes, withadjacent ones of said connecting brackets being disposed alternately indifferent ones of said two parallel planes.